A Texas man free on bond for murder has again been charged with the same crime involving a different victim, KHOU-TV reports.
Authorities allege that 20-year-old Daniel Medrano killed 43-year-old Joel Villarreal on March 28 in a robbery that turned deadly. Medrano and another man, 19-year-old Andres Lara, are accused of gunning down Villarreal outside of a smoke and vape shop in Houston.
Villarreal was reportedly attempting to stop the pair from robbing the business. He was found bleeding in the middle of a road and rushed to a hospital, where he died, according to KTRK-TV.
At the time, Medrano was out on bond after he was charged with murdering 20-year-old Jordan Capuchino in September, which also started out as a robbery. Medrano is one of the multiple men arrested in connection with the murder of Capuchino, who was targeted for a $7,000 necklace he was wearing.
Capuchino’s mother, Laura, said her son had gone out the evening he was killed with some friends. She described him as a kind person.
“He was a protector, he was lovable,” Laura told the television station.
After Medrano was charged in connection with the September murder, he was released on a $400,000 bond in November, much to the dismay of Laura, FOX 26 reports. “When the judge handed Daniel a bond of $400,000, I said, ‘Hopefully he doesn’t make that bond,'” Laura told KHOU-TV.
But Medrano did, and now he is facing two separate murder charges, which are capital offenses in Texas.
With Medrano scheduled to return to court on Monday, the grieving mother said she wants to send a message to the judge.
“I want the judge to know, these kids need to be held accountable. He does not need to be out in the street,” Laura told KHOU-TV, referring to Medrano.
Laura lamented that Medrano’s family will still be able to see him, but she will forever be prevented from knowing what her son’s life had in store.
“I know he’s with me,” Laura told KHOU-TV while visiting her son’s gravesite. “I come here to take a breather, to talk to him.”
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[Feature Photo: Daniel Medrano/Houston Police Department]
